Appropriations Updates

Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill

(H.R. 4923)

The House Energy and Water Development appropriations bill provides $34.0 billion in discretionary budget authority, $48 million, or 0.14%, below the FY 2014 enacted levels and $327 million (1%) above the president's request.

The bill includes $27.2 billion for the Department of Energy, $5.5 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers, and $957 million for the Department of the Interior (primarily for the Bureau of Reclamation with the rest of Interior funded through other bills). The spending levels in the bill do not exceed the 302(b) allocations adopted by the Appropriations Committee, which are consistent with the overall spending level approved by the House in the Budget Resolution (H. Con. Res. 96) and the Bipartisan Budget Act.

Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill

(Millions of $Discretionary BA)

2014 Enacted

2015 Request

2015 House Reported

% Change Rept vs. 2014 Enacted

% Change Rept vs. Req.

Department of the Interior

1,060

986

957

-9.72%

-2.94%

National Nuclear Security Administration

11,207

11,658

11,241

0.30%

-3.58%

Environmental and Other Defense Activities

5,755

6,081

5,676

-1.37%

-6.66%

Energy Programs

10,042

10,385

10,068

0.26%

-3.05%

Power Marketing Administration

100

87

86

-14.00%

-1.15%

Departmental Administration

169

169

178

5.33%

5.33%

Other

-7

-463

0

n/a

n/a

Department of Energy

27,266

27,917

27,249

-0.06%

-2.39%

Corps of Engineers

5,467

4,533

5,492

0.46

21.16%

Other Independent Agencies

265

247

312

17.74%

26.32%

TOTAL

34,058

33,683

34,010

-0.14%

0.97%

National Security Programs. The bill provides $11.2 billion for the National Nuclear Security Administration, which builds and maintains the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and naval nuclear reactors. This is an increase of $451 million, or 0.3%, over FY 2014 enacted levels, but 3.6% below the level requested by the administration. A large portion of the increase in funding is dedicated for Weapons Activities and Naval Nuclear Reactors.

Civilian Energy Programs. The bill includes $10.1 billion for civilian energy programs, 0.3% above the FY 2014 enacted levels and 3.1% below the administration’s request of $10.4 billion. Included in this total are programs such as the Department of Energy’s science activities, nuclear energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and uranium enrichment decontamination and decommissioning.

Water Programs. The Army Corps of Engineers would receive $5.5 billion, 0.5% higher than FY 2014 levels and 21.2% higher than the President’s request. Funding is focused on navigation projects and studies, harbor maintenance, and flood and storm damage reduction activities. The bill provides $946 million, $105 million less than the FY 2014 enacted level, for the Bureau of Reclamation which lies within the Department of the Interior for the management, development, and protection of water resources in the western states.

The bill provides $28million for navigation and flood control construction activities which is equal to FY 2014 enacted levels as well as the President’s request.